SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — Leaders of Western Balkan countries pledged Monday to make full use of European UnionThe United States’ six billion euro (about $6.5 billion) financial support plan as it continues to seek membership in the bloc.
Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania are at different stages of the accession process. Their leaders met in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, and said in a joint statement that they were determined “to develop their country in accordance with European standards.”
In November, the European Commission presented a growth plan for the Western Balkans aimed at strengthening economic integration with the EU single market, boosting regional economic integration, accelerating fundamental reforms and increasing financial aid.
The plan includes a six billion euro reform and growth project over three years, 2024-2027, subject to agreed reforms. Its main objective is to help double the economy of the Western Balkans over the next decade. The funding hopes to address frustration among applicant country residents over the slow accession process, as well as keep the countries aligned with the West as Russia’s war against Ukraine continues.
Present at Monday’s meeting were Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Albin Kurti of Kosovo, Milojko Spajic of Montenegro and Prime Minister of North Macedonia Dimitar Kovachevski.
Also present were US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O’Brien and Director General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations at the European Commission Gert Jan Kopmann.
“Each country is responsible for its own reforms and working with as many of its neighbors as possible,” O’Brien said. “Now countries that take the initiative will benefit sooner and will not have to wait for an unrelated dispute to be resolved,” he said.